Trailer hitches of many varieties have been available to mount to the frame of towing vehicles and adapted to couple to towable vehicles such as trailers. Typically, a towing ball is mounted on an arm that extends outwardly from the towing vehicle. This arrangement is advantageous when towing a trailer because it provides a convenient coupling point, providing ample space for turning and maneuvering. However, a tripping and collision hazard is presented to persons passing by the rear of the vehicle when the towing ball is uncoupled. As a remedy, many trailer hitches provide a means to remove the arm and ball when not in use. However, most trailer hitches make no provision for storing the arm and ball either on or in the vehicle which increases the probability of loss or unavailability of the arm and ball when they are needed.
There have been various attempts to provide a ball and arm that can be rotated from a towing position to a stored position such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,930 to Philall that shows a pivotally mounted tow bar which may be pivoted to a retracted position. This reference teaches a retractable tow bar that is tucked inside a bumper utilizing a spring loaded locking arrangement. Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,292 to Adair shows a trailer hitch that can be mounted in both a towing and storage position.
Despite these and other offerings, there continues to be a need for a configurable trailer hitch that can be mounted on a vehicle that can easily be transitioned between a storage position and towing position without the use of tools.